Words cannot describe how great a small personal victory managing to have an interview with Cymbals Eat Guitars is. After incessant badgering of their management for what seemed like a playthrough of all the Final Fantasies, they finally relented and let me have a word or two with frontman Joe D’Agostino.
It may have been brief, but talking to the band behind Cultured Vultures’ 5th Best Album of 2014 is one of the best ways imaginable to round off a memorable January.
Hey Joe, how are you?
​Hungry.
Would it be fair to say that 2014 was your breakout year? You had plaudits coming in from all over.
​Not really? Maybe though. We put out our 3rd critically acclaimed record in a row in 2014, but it was probably a year in which many more people heard us for the first time.
What was it you think might have connected so many people to Lose?
​The songs are really good. It’s really as simple as that. People could relate to the lyrics of most of the songs and feel feelings about their own lives.
I championed Lose for Cultured Vultures Album of the Year, but it ended up landing in 5th place. What’s been the best reaction you’ve had to it?
​The best reaction is when someone buys it. They vote ‘yes’ on your record with their hard-earned cash.
As artists, do you ever get tired of rehearsing and perfecting a song that you’re sick of it before you even play live?
​Nope, never ever.
You stated that you weren’t going to be playing any songs from Lenses Alien in the future. Are you sticking by that?
​That was kind of a joke that got blown out of proportion. We never seriously stated that. One or two Lenses songs have found their way into the set, mostly because way more people are into that record now than when we were actually touring on it. Like “cool man thanks for screaming that we play ‘Definite Darkness’…coulda used more of you in 2012”.
What are you looking forward to in 2015? We hear you’re working with Jesse Lacey.
​We did one song with Jesse that is already finished. We loved doing it and are really happy with the song, but there are no specific plans to do more, at least not for right now.
Do you have any particular favourite albums from the past year?
​Cloud Nothings, Joyce Manor, Mitski, Ryan Adams, Bob Mould all put out great records last year. I’m sure I’m forgetting many that I loved as much as those.
For those unfamiliar with the band, how would you describe yourselves?
​We’re a rock band.
And finally, if you had a vulture that was particularly cultured, what would you name it?
Jimmy
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.
